1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to enterprise information systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of deployment descriptors in modules packaged for use in enterprise-based applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the use of enterprise environments is increasing, it becomes necessary to increase the overall efficiency with which the enterprise environments may be used. Increasing the efficiency typically includes reducing the costs of implementing enterprises and lowering response times associated with enterprises.
Enterprise information systems are typically part of an enterprise, and provide services to users of an enterprise. When new services are to be provided to users, the new services generally must be integrated with the enterprise information systems. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a composition model for an enterprise application. An enterprise application 112 includes an enterprise information system 104 and new services 108. Application 112 is arranged to be deployed by a deployer 116 such that a deployed application 112 may be used on a platform 120.
Typically, in order to enable new services 108 to be offered to a user along with enterprise information system 104, new services 108 must be integrated with enterprise information system 104 within application 112. In order to integrate new services 108 with enterprise information system 104, a developer is responsible for coding specific interactions between new services 108 and enterprise information system 104. In other words, modifications are generally made to new services 108 and enterprise information system 104 such that new services 108 may be offered along with services included in enterprise information system 104.
The need to code interactions, such as transaction management interactions and security management interactions, may be inefficient since each time a new service is to be offered to a user, a developer must code interactions with the new service. Coding interactions generally does not enable new services to be rapidly deployed. In addition, the need to code interactions often places a burden on a developer to learn how different services interact.
Therefore, what is desired is an enterprise system which allows new services to be efficiently deployed. In other words, what is needed is a system which eliminates the need for a developer to code specific interactions between services of the system.